1. What these technologies are
Cookies are small pieces of data stored by a browser. Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, tokens, pixels, scripts and identifiers used to provide, protect or measure an online service.
2. Essential storage
Essential storage is used where reasonably necessary to provide a feature you request, protect the service or remember a privacy choice. It may include:
- session and authentication storage;
- CSRF and security tokens;
- email-verification and password-reset state;
- rate-limiting and anti-abuse state;
- language, region, score-visibility and interface choices;
- a record of your analytics/privacy choice; and
- temporary state required for account or support forms.
Essential storage cannot be disabled through the analytics panel because the relevant feature may stop working or become insecure.
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| matchtide_session / XSRF-TOKEN | Security, session and submitted forms | Session |
| mt_analytics_choice | Versioned device analytics choice | 180 days |
| _ga / _ga_* | Only after full analytics is allowed | Set by Google; removal attempted on withdrawal |
| matchtide_football_interest_region | Requested football-region preference | Until changed |
3. Limited analytics before or without full consent
MatchTide uses Google Analytics 4. The Google tag operates through Consent Mode v2 so that its behaviour reflects the analytics choice available on this device.
In the United Kingdom, MatchTide may use a limited cookieless mode before you make a choice. In this mode:
analytics_storageis denied;ad_storage,ad_user_dataandad_personalizationare denied;- analytics and advertising cookies are not read or written;
- Google Ads, remarketing, Google Signals, enhanced conversions and User-ID are not used;
- only allowlisted and sanitised public page-use measurement is sent; and
- account, support, privacy, legal, security and token-bearing routes are excluded.
Google may still receive a cookieless network request containing technical information, consent state and a sanitised page location or event. Limited mode is not the same as no data being sent.
MatchTide uses this limited information only for aggregate statistics and improving the service. You can object free of charge by choosing “Turn analytics off” in Privacy Choices.
In regions configured to require prior consent, MatchTide does not load the Google tag until analytics cookies are allowed.
4. Full analytics
If you choose “Allow analytics cookies”, MatchTide updates Google Consent Mode so that analytics storage is granted. Google Analytics may then set first-party cookies such as _ga and a property-specific _ga_* cookie and measure sessions and allowlisted interactions in more detail.
Full analytics remains separated from advertising. Advertising storage, advertising user data and advertising personalisation stay denied. MatchTide does not use this choice to enable Google Ads, remarketing, Google Signals, enhanced conversions or User-ID.
MatchTide does not intentionally send comment text, support messages, email addresses, names, nicknames, passwords, authentication codes, raw search text, account identifiers, legal/privacy case data or notification subscriptions to Google Analytics.
5. Google reCAPTCHA and anti-abuse tools
Registration or other abuse-sensitive forms may use Google reCAPTCHA or another anti-abuse tool. These tools may receive technical information, including IP address, browser information and interaction signals, to assess abuse.
MatchTide should load such tools only on forms that need them and, where technically practical, only when a visitor begins interacting with the form or submits it. Their use is for security and abuse prevention, not advertising.
6. Third-party content
Third-party embeds, if introduced, may use their own cookies or storage. MatchTide must use privacy-friendly or click-to-load modes where available and provide clear information before the third-party content is loaded.
7. Your choices
The privacy panel provides the following choices:
- Allow analytics cookies — grants analytics storage and permits first-party Google Analytics cookies and fuller allowlisted measurement.
- Turn analytics off — records your objection, blocks the Google tag on later page loads and stops future analytics events from MatchTide.
- Manage choices — opens Privacy Choices with the current device status and available controls.
In the United Kingdom, if you have not yet chosen, limited cookieless measurement may run by default. In regions configured to require prior consent, Google Analytics remains blocked until analytics cookies are allowed.
You can change the choice at any time. After withdrawal, MatchTide updates the consent state and attempts to remove MatchTide-domain Google Analytics cookies. This does not delete aggregate reports created from earlier lawful processing.
8. How long choices last
The privacy-choice record is stored for a limited period so MatchTide does not ask on every page. A material change to analytics or advertising use may cause the panel to appear again.
9. No advertising analytics at present
MatchTide does not currently use advertising cookies, personalised advertising, remarketing, affiliate conversion tracking or Google Ads measurement. Advertising may not be enabled by reusing an analytics choice. It requires a separate review, updated disclosures and any consent mechanism required at that time.
10. Contact
Questions or objections about storage technologies can be submitted through Privacy Choices, the privacy form in the Support Centre or [email protected].